Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-02-11
THE ST. ecTAARp TUNNEL
Sketch of tho Man Who Gave His Lifa n
Make the Undertaking saccessfuL

N-c"~-& ~ INV <Ana w Ao 4aFo MS ktEk ~
Make the Undertaking Successful
Jean Fabre, Savoyard of humble pa
rentage and obscure birth, conceived and
executed the colossal work of piercing
Mount Gents and uniting Savoy and
Italy. This gigantic scheme was carried
out in defiance of all the obstacles that
assailed its originators. After years of
patient, unremitting toll, without the aid
of the more perfect appliances Of later
days, this extraordinary man completed
the tunnel and was proclaimed the con-
queror of mountains, the king of engin-
GERS, the benefactor of his country. De-
sirous of obtaining the rest he had so
richly earned, Monsieur Fabre retired
into the peaceful, comfortable villa he
had erected, and prepared to live there
with his only daughter He called it by
the curious and unusual name of La Re
mise, the literary meaning of which is
coach house," and which is sometimes
used figuratively to imply cessation from
active work and retirement from the
world. He may have intended to imply
that he had taken his retreat and ex-
pected to live in repose. Apparently he
had given up his procession when the ru-
NOR of a new and even more stupeadous
enterprise reached his ears-the pierre
ing of the st. Gothard-a far more
difficult, far more hazardous experiment
than the previous one. He was eagerly
solicited to place himself at the head of
the undertaking. The stimulus of
great obstacle to conquer silenced his
hesitation, and he consented to visit the
mountain with the German and Swiss
engineers. After minute examination
of rocks, crests, and slopes he gave his
decisions: 81 shall do it." he said, IF it
costs me my life."
These words were prophetic Jean
Fabre began his colossal struggle with
nature. He fought inch by inch, hour
by hour with difficulties of all kind; with
the invasion of water threatening the
newly-constructed vaults; with intense
heat suffocating the workmen; with pes
tilential atmosphere telling them at their
task. But these were not his worst foes.
He had to struggle against the colleagues
sent to him by Germany, men ignorant
of the soil, the locality, the mountain,
whose petty jealousy and obstructing
opposition made his mission exceedingly
bitter and tenfold more arduous. At
one time the scheme was about to be
given up, when Fabre, undaunted, indie
fatigable, redoubled his efforts, perfected
old machines, invented new ones, en-
couraged, rallied, comforted nursed his
men, and at the end of eight years of
unremitting toll was able to summon the
German delegates and the representa-
tives of the Swiss government to
see the tunnel opened from end to
end. He told them of the obstacles sur
mounted, the dangers braved of his
whole fortune sunk in that herculean
undertaking, crowned by such magnif-
cent success. Suddenly his words died
on his lips, he staggered and fell sense
less on the subterranean way he had
given the world. The strain had been
too great, and through the dark
ness, through the crushing weight
of heaped rock and glaciers, the
brave, noble soul fled to the blue heavens
above.
The ingratitude of quick oblivion has
well nigh forgotten his name. His
daughter has disappeared. His hard
gained earnings have melted away. The
house he built stands desolate, the
gardens are deserted, the smokeless
chimneys rise black in the clear air, and
no trace remains of him who twice
passed triumphant, cleaving the stone as
he went, through eternal night from one
land to another.
La Remise, such as it is, seemed the
fitting abode for great misfortune, but
neither the modest villa nor the aristo-
cratic castle will, for the present at least,
shelter the exile of France.-London
Cor. New York Sun.